Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plans Archives

The Challenges of the Trump Administration’s Vow to “Repeal and Replace” the Affordable Care Act

In the presentation “ACA Repeal/Replace Under the Trump Administration,” Susan Nash discusses the implications of President Trump and the GOP’s immediate vow to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was enacted in 2010 by the Obama Administration to reform the health care system in the US. A complete repeal is unlikely since many ACA changes will require a filibuster proof majority vote in the Senate. However, some changes can be made unilaterally through Executive action by Republicans through Budget Reconciliation, a special legislative process created by Congress to allow for expedited voting on bills that directly impact reviews and expenditures.

The presentation also highlights several proposals that the GOP has been working on to replace ACA, the non-enforcement of market reform requirements, the possible outcomes for the Trump Executive Order and the immediate ramifications for the insurance markets and millions of Americans.

View the presentation slides here.

Proposed ACA Regulations on Transitional Reinsurance Program Premiums and Potential Effects for Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plans

by Amy M. Gordon, Jacob Mattinson and Susan M. Nash

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released proposed regulations regarding the estimated amount of annual contributions that are required to be paid to HHS from employer-sponsored group health plans to finance state transitional reinsurance programs. The reinsurance programs are intended to help stabilize premiums for coverage in the individual market during the first three years the state health insurance exchanges are operational (2014 through 2016). HHS is estimating the annual contribution rate for 2014 will be $63 per covered life (employees and their dependents). This will undoubtedly impact the overall cost of providing coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan and should be taken into account by employers for purposes of estimating cost trends.

Read the full article here.